How hard is civil engineering

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is building bridges hard? Um, yes.

BTW I had a blast as a guest at a Cambridge civil engineering ball where the challenge was build a structure that holds a wine bottle and win the bottle. I did not win lol

Thanks for this information-free post!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a junior in HS and also wants to do civil engineering. He took 3 pre-engeneering courses in his HS but he did not take any AP courses other than history. Does that mean he stands no chance at getting accepted into a civil engineering program?

He won’t get into VA Tech without some AP math and science (as well as good grades and SAT) but there are plenty of lower ranked engineering schools that will still be good. I’d just warn you about those pre engineering classes. My kids HS offers them but the honors students don’t take it because it’s more like “build a bridge with marshmallows and spaghetti” type projects and not the physics, chemistry and calculus that better prepares them. I saw you said the teacher was hard, and a letter of recommendation from that teacher might be valuable, but you shouldn’t think those classes will be necessarily give him an edge, depending on your school and how well the admissions rep knows what the class actually is.

Are you FCPS? My DS did the 4-year sequence and took HN Engineering in 12th. He graduated with a basic CAD certification, and they dove pretty deep into the engineering design process. It was a grind for a bit to get the portfolio together with stuff like explaining the science behind your design. While it wasn't a college level course, he learned a lot about what being an engineer meant and the whole sequence was certainly not “build a bridge with marshmallows and spaghetti” type stuff. If anything, it made him want to pursue it more. Like the PP said, we scare kids off from engineering because they don't really know what they are getting themselves into. They just hear that the math is hard and think it's not for them. It could be right up their alley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will be a voice for the other side and say that if it doesn't come naturally to your kid, it will be a tough road ahead. I wanted very badly to go into medicine and still have some unresolved envy for my doctor friends, but my chem and calc grades were not going to cut it.

I switched to a very easy major - poli sci - during freshman year and ended up graduating top 5% in my class and going to a T3 law school and my life is better/easier now for taking the easy route.

DH did the same thing. Also ended up at T3 law school after changing majors. Not sure his life is better. He hates being a lawyer in biglaw. Soul sucking. So if you like engineering, stick with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will be a voice for the other side and say that if it doesn't come naturally to your kid, it will be a tough road ahead. I wanted very badly to go into medicine and still have some unresolved envy for my doctor friends, but my chem and calc grades were not going to cut it.

I switched to a very easy major - poli sci - during freshman year and ended up graduating top 5% in my class and going to a T3 law school and my life is better/easier now for taking the easy route.

DH did the same thing. Also ended up at T3 law school after changing majors. Not sure his life is better. He hates being a lawyer in biglaw. Soul sucking. So if you like engineering, stick with it.

Engineering >> Practice of Law

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can a kid who gets a 4 on AP tests in Calc and Physics - but not easily (goes to office hours for extra help etc) - do well in either civil or mechanical engineering? Or at least not fail? Not at a top college, but at a place like Northeastern?

Not easily, no. Expect Cs and not making minimum gpa to get into major (VT, others).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS got a 2 in AP Physics 1 and 2. He’s currently a PhD student in physics. It’s possible, but you have to work hard in those foundation courses.

That was the old scoring based on age of your kid.
The AP phys1 had notoriously harsh grading with fewer than 20% getting 4, fewer than 5% getting 5. Current AP phys C or 1 scoring is much easier to get a 5, and OP got a 4 on calc too--well below top.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a junior in HS and also wants to do civil engineering. He took 3 pre-engeneering courses in his HS but he did not take any AP courses other than history. Does that mean he stands no chance at getting accepted into a civil engineering program?

Motivation and diligence matters most.

Yes, taking AP Calc would help with engineering admissions, as would a science AP, but he doesn't have to take AP Calc or AP science. I will urge he take some Calc class his senior year, if possible, as that will help a lot.

I took AP English and AP US History in HS. My HS did not even offer Calculus. I was accepted at 3 well regarded colleges. I had to work hard in engineering, especially in math, but I graduated on time and work in engineering now.

Thank you for this. He is planning on taking pre-calc and calc by the time he graduates. Math is usually not all that hard for him. I think he would do well because the only courses he ever really cared about his whole life are the pre-engineering courses he is taking. He doesn't get phenomenal grades because the teacher is super strict, but he loves them.

Look at Marquette in WI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a junior in HS and also wants to do civil engineering. He took 3 pre-engeneering courses in his HS but he did not take any AP courses other than history. Does that mean he stands no chance at getting accepted into a civil engineering program?

Motivation and diligence matters most.

Yes, taking AP Calc would help with engineering admissions, as would a science AP, but he doesn't have to take AP Calc or AP science. I will urge he take some Calc class his senior year, if possible, as that will help a lot.

I took AP English and AP US History in HS. My HS did not even offer Calculus. I was accepted at 3 well regarded colleges. I had to work hard in engineering, especially in math, but I graduated on time and work in engineering now.

Thank you for this. He is planning on taking pre-calc and calc by the time he graduates. Math is usually not all that hard for him. I think he would do well because the only courses he ever really cared about his whole life are the pre-engineering courses he is taking. He doesn't get phenomenal grades because the teacher is super strict, but he loves them.

Look at Marquette in WI.

With all due respect, he needs to have Calc done with a good grade before even applying to an engineering program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a junior in HS and also wants to do civil engineering. He took 3 pre-engeneering courses in his HS but he did not take any AP courses other than history. Does that mean he stands no chance at getting accepted into a civil engineering program?

Motivation and diligence matters most.

Yes, taking AP Calc would help with engineering admissions, as would a science AP, but he doesn't have to take AP Calc or AP science. I will urge he take some Calc class his senior year, if possible, as that will help a lot.

I took AP English and AP US History in HS. My HS did not even offer Calculus. I was accepted at 3 well regarded colleges. I had to work hard in engineering, especially in math, but I graduated on time and work in engineering now.

Thank you for this. He is planning on taking pre-calc and calc by the time he graduates. Math is usually not all that hard for him. I think he would do well because the only courses he ever really cared about his whole life are the pre-engineering courses he is taking. He doesn't get phenomenal grades because the teacher is super strict, but he loves them.

Look at Marquette in WI.

With all due respect, he needs to have Calc done with a good grade before even applying to an engineering program

Clearly that is strongly preferable, but people without that do still graduate with degrees in CivilE. Doing so requires motivation and diligence, of course, as PP noted.

[Anonymous]

another engineer here (ME). if he wants to try, i'd let him try. i'd not be too concerned (or mildly concerned) about AP and HS Calc grades. in college, don't let him fall behind - never miss a class, never miss assignments, seek help when needed (and you always do)... if he can keep up with things he has control over, he has a decent chance. good luck

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Civil (along with Systems) is considered one of the easier engineering majors. With that said, it's still engineering, so not easy in general.

My son took AP Physics 1 and didn't even bother with the AP exam and got a 3 on the BC calc exam and is an engineering major at a T50 and while he has to study hard, he's doing well and learning a lot.

For Civil:
IQ < : choose transportation/ environmental/

IQ> : choose structural/geotechnical

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I will be a voice for the other side and say that if it doesn't come naturally to your kid, it will be a tough road ahead. I wanted very badly to go into medicine and still have some unresolved envy for my doctor friends, but my chem and calc grades were not going to cut it.

I switched to a very easy major - poli sci - during freshman year and ended up graduating top 5% in my class and going to a T3 law school and my life is better/easier now for taking the easy route.

DH did the same thing. Also ended up at T3 law school after changing majors. Not sure his life is better. He hates being a lawyer in biglaw. Soul sucking. So if you like engineering, stick with it.

He must be an honest man amongst scoundrels…